Process for the production of kvass.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF KVASS.

N 0 Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER EIsEN- BERG, director brewery Novaya Bavaria, a subject of the Czar of Russia, residing at Poljustrow Quay, St. Petersburg, Russia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Process for the Production of Kvass; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Up to the present it has not been possible to produce kvass which could be kept for a prolonged period without undergoing change in its properties. With most kinds of kvasses the after-fermentation occurs only subsequent to the distribution of the kvass into casks or bottles, so that the peculiar qualities of the kvass can only be attained at a certain stage in which latter it remains only for a short period. It has previously also been impossible to interrupt the fermentation process after reaching the said stage and after one or two days at ordinary temperatures the alcohol-contents, or in sour kvass the acid-contents, increased so considerably as to impair the quality of the kvass .The attempts to stop the fermentations by storing the kvass in cellars at low temperatures were not successful, although the alcohol-fermentation is retarded thereby, as the acetic acid-fermentation takes place even at a comparatively low temperature, preventing the lactic fermentation, which latter is the cause of the pleasant taste of the kvass and is of great importance in regard to its dietary qualities: In any case kvass as previously made could not be stored longer than seven to ten days in casks at cellar temperatures, such permanency being shown particularly by those kinds in which the acetic acid fermentation prevailed. These circumstances were of great influence on the kvass production, as it was impossible to produce large quantities, the makers however being compelled to keep the supply in accordance with the least variation of the demand. Consequently economic production, as in beer-brewing, could not be attained.

The process to be described makes it possi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

Application filed December 4, 1908. Serial No. 466,027.

ble to produce a kvass of any desired flavor, which kvass may be stored for a prolonged period as shown by experiment, namely 10 days and more in bottles at ordinary temperatures, and 3 months and more in casks at a cellar temperature of 8 to 9 (1., without change of its constituents. This permits the production of large quantities of kvass independently of the immediate demand, thereby establishing the production on an economical basis.

According to the present process, the alcohol-fermentation taking place in the wort is interrupted at a desired stage, continuation thereof as well as further acetic acid-fermentation being prevented, so that the kvass may be stored for a long period without causing a change in its qualities. Further, a beverage possessing the taste and flavor of any desired fruit-water can also be produced by this process from grain malt or p'otato flour.

The course of operations in the present process for the production of kvass is as follows :Disintegrated malt, from any kind of grain such as rye, barley &c. and also potato-flour, is treated in known manner with water at 45 to 70 (3., whereby the starch is separated into dextrose and maltose 2'. 6. sugar formation takes place. After the complete division of the starch into maltose and dextrose, which can easily be ascertained by means of the iodid reaction, the wort obtained in such a manner is leached, strained to remove hard substances, and boiled. Hereby the albumen coagulates and at the same time the fermentation fungi and bacteria are destroyed. In this manner the wort is freed from bacteria. The mash is then led into special receptacles, where it is left to cool down to 12 to 15 C. and to deposit all the particles separated through boiling, such as coagulated albumen etc., and is subsequently drawn off from the top into other vessels for further treatment. The wort so obtained is led into fermentation vats, and the necessary quantity of repeatedly (about, 7 to 8 times) cultivated yeast added: Such bacilli cultures can be produced on any desired culture medium, imparting to the beverage any desired taste. Thus, for

instance, a Wort produced from barley can be made to possess the taste of bread-raspberryapplekvass etc. by means of correspondingly cultivated yeast. The cult1- vated yeast which is free from bacterla and fungi finds a homogeneous culture fluid in the wort and effects only an alcohol fermen tation which may be allowed to contlnue until the desired degree of alcohol-contents- (about .5 per cent.) is reached. The Wort is then skimmed whereby the yeast cells which have risen to thesurface are removed, and is then drawn off from the sediments so a in the Wor only yeast-cells in spended condition. nel' ine I order to re: move the lat r also, the Wort is p aced i a cool room Where, owing to the low temperature, the suspended yeast subsides to the bo t By means of a siphon or simi ar device the greater part of the wort can d wn o f from the vats. The remainder is filtered to remove the deposited yeast par-. icl s, n this man er a Wort completely free from yeast is obtained. The removal of the p nded yeast may also be effe t by means of centrifugal separators, which may be done at the same temperature and in the same room Where the al'cohol-ferm'enta. tion took place. The suspended yeast particles need not however be removed, as at low temperature they are not capable of effecting an alcohol fermentation in the, Wort: besides they lose this property ent rely by fu ther treatment according to he process under consideration. Afterthe yeas .is. removed from the wort, a bacilli culture of actic e m n ion fungi i introduced into t e la It is kno n at when. ev r f rments :lact1c ferments which arrest the alcoholic ifermentation and also prevent acetic fermentation, substantially as described.

are present, the strongest Will V C B he. weaker ones, effect-ingonly a corresponding fermentation. In this case the f rther alcohol-fermentation as, also the incipient aceticferlnentation, is prevented by the lactic-fermen atio T e a ter isv n t only harmless, but indispensable, to the kvass, producing the agreeable taste and matnrity besides providing the ec ssa y arhon o acid, and is also of great dietary im rtanee. With the previously known kvasses an unfavorably acting acetic fermentation had mostly to, be dealt with, So: that, at the time when the required lactic acid contents had to be reached, the former was already so far advanced that no. further alcohol and lactic fermentation could take place, The lactic mentation on h oth r and produces, after some time, such a quantity of lactic acid hat he erm nt ion itself isv t mi ated. t he emper ture unde which e kvass isusually stored, the lactic acid Contents can n y rise p o In th s manner, e al ho fermentation can be termin ed at a certain stage, and any desired quantity I of act c; d p oduc d in the va s, by regulating the temperature and time of fermentation, by removal of the yeast at the proper time and the addition of correspondingly cultivated lactic ferments. After the kvass has been produced in this manner, it is filtered to remove any ferments still remaining and drawn off into casks or bottles containing proportionate quantities of sugar syrup or honey and spice: the sugar not finding any ferments remains chemically unchanged. By this method a liquid is produced having only about one-half of one per cent. of alcohol and agreeable to the taste. Such kvass does not contain any ll'lSOlllw ble constituents nor albumen. Furthermore,

the acetic acid contents is very small, while the lactic acid is present in sufiicient quantity, giving the kvas's excellent dietary qualities.

4 The described process makes it possible, as already mentioned, to produce from grain malt or potato-flour, a kwass of any desired taste such as bread, fruit-kvass, etc. The 'kvass can be stored for a prolonged period without undergoing a change of its constituents.

Should the kvass made by this process not show quite its original qualities after rolonged storage, this must be attribute to I the fact that it is not possible to remove in filtration the smallest traces of ferment substances. v

hat I claim is:

1. The herein described process of produca ing kvass', consisting in preparing a suitable Wort, boiling said Wort to eliminate the albumen and destroy the ferments therein, subljecting the, same to the action of yeast to produce alcoholic fermentation, and adding bumen and destroy the ferments therein,

adding to said wort a yeast cultivated in a culture medium corresponding to the taste desired to be obtained, and adding lactic fer. ments which stop the alcoholic fermentation, substantially as described. i 3. The herein described process of producing kvass, consisting in preparing a suitable wort, boiling said Wort to; eliminate the albumen and destroy the ferments therein,

adding to said Wort a yeast cultivated in a culture medium corresponding to the taste desired to be obtained, separating the yeast floating on the top of the, liquid, drawing off the upper portion of the Wort/from the deposited yeast particles, filtering the re mainder and adding lactic ferments, substantially as described.

4. The herein described process of'producing kvass, which consists. in preparing a sultable wort, boi'hng said wortto eliminate the albumen and destroy the ferments therecoholic fermentation, substantially as dein, cooling said wort, and drawing oil? the scribed. 10 liquid from the deposited particles, adding In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, thereto a yeast cultivated in a culture mediin presence of two witnesses.

um corresponding to the taste desired to ALEXANDER EISENBERG. be obtained, separating the wort from the Witnesses: greater portion of the yeast and adding suit- H. A. LOWIAGHIN,

able lactic ferinents which prevent further al- A. MIGHIS. 

